Small Wonders – Help for parents of premature and sick babies

Approximately 80,000 (1 in 10) babies in the UK are born prematurely or sick and Best Beginnings is a charity that aims to help families give their baby the healthiest start in life. The Small Wonders DVD was launched by the charity in June 2012 and over 95,000 DVDs have now been distributed. They are they being used in 85% of the hospitals with a neonatal unit in England.

The charity worked closely with over 200 families and expert professionals to produce and pilot these films and the DVD has been endorsed by 23 organisations, including UNICEF and RCPCH. It is the first DVD of its kindand follows real parents’ experiences of having a sick or premature baby.

If you are a parent of a premature or sick baby you can receive this DVD for free from your hospital. The films are also available on You Tube or via the Baby Buddy app. They show how you can help your baby early on with regular skin-to-skin/kangaroo care, providing breast milk for your baby, touching and holding, and day-to-day care such as nappy changing.